The present invention relates to a marking press device.
Marking and pressing of characters, symbols, numbers or figures includes a technique of so-called indenting and another technique of so-called embossing. Indenting produces indented marks that correspond to raised types by placing and pressing a workpiece between a pressing member having a raised type at a front end and a flat pressing member positioned opposite the pressing member. Embossing produces embossed marks that correspond to raised types by placing and pressing a workpiece between a pressing member having a raised type at a front end thereof and an oppositely placed recessed marking member.
A general embossing involves a topping, i.e., a coloring of the front surface of the characters. Also, a general indenting involves a coloring of grooved bottoms of the indented characters with ink.
An inked ribbon may be used for coloring such indented characters. In such a marking press device, a workpiece and a inked ribbon are together placed and pressed between a pressing member having a raised type and a flat pressing member to mark an indented character and at the same time to color the character groove. The inked ribbon is wound around a supply reel (hereinafter, denoted to as a spool) in advance. The inked ribbon is guided to the place between the workpiece such as a card and the pressing member and the used portion of the ribbon is constantly guided to a winding spool.
However, in the marking press device in which the inked ribbon is supplied and wound up in the above manner, both spools for supplying and winding may be located deep inside or at a narrow space in the device. Thus, it has been difficult to replace the spools. Also, when the spools are replaced, the inked ribbon needs to run through a roller, guide, etc. In this case, the ribbon may be set in a wrong route or inside out, causing problems in issuing cards.
Also, in the marking press device in which pressing (embossing or indenting) and coloring are performed simultaneously, an inked ribbon is always interposed between a workpiece, such as a card, and a type. Therefore, it is impossible to perform only pressing without coloring, or even if possible, it mostly requires considerably troublesome work of, for example, detaching (dismounting) the inked ribbon. For this reason, it has been difficult to employ such a marking press device configured as above for general uses.
Furthermore, when forming characters, symbols, etc. on a workpiece such as a plastic card, a process called embossing is performed to emboss characters, etc. as in a raised form on a front surface of the workpiece. The marking press device that performs embossing has type assemblies in the same number as that of characters, symbols, etc. to be marked.
In some cases, Braille code characters formed by combining raised dots in predetermined patterns are produced on a workpiece by such a marking press device. The type composed of combined dots is pressed onto a workpiece to raise dots in a predetermined pattern. However, the marking press device that produces Braille code characters in the above manner is required to equip the same number of types as the number of Braille dot patterns, in the same manner as a marking press device for characters. For this reason, even if it is a relatively simplified marking press device, a considerable number of types need to be prepared, increasing the number of components. As a consequence, the weight of the marking press device itself has been very heavy.
Specifically, Braille characters are represented by raised dots combined in predetermined patterns. Within the six-dot cell, the dot positions are 1-2-3 downward on the left and 4-5-6 downward on the right. The combinations are made (2*6)=64 patterns; one pattern with no dots is taken from the patterns, making 63 final combinations. Thus, the marking press device that produces Braille code characters is required to equip a considerable number of types.
A high speed marking press device, in which various kinds of types such as hiragana, katakana, Braille code characters, etc. are arranged around a plurality of rotary wheels to enable pressings of various kinds of characters, symbols, etc., has been developed. In such a large device, the number of necessary types is considerably large.
It therefore is an object of the present invention to provide a marking press device that provides for convenient and simplified changing of ribbon supplying spool and ribbon winding spool.
Another object of the invention is to provide a marking press device that can perform both pressings with and without coloring and also allows switching these two kinds of pressing techniques easily.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a marking press device in which the number of types necessary for producing Braille code characters is reduced in order to make a simple configuration.
To achieve the above objects, the marking press device of the present invention includes a ribbon frame that can be turned at least to its horizontal position. The ribbon winding spool and the ribbon supplying spool are attached on the ribbon frame and can be replaced simply and easily. Rollers and guides are moved from narrow spaces so that a new ribbon can be set simply and easily.
In accordance with the present invention, the ribbon frame is turned to withdraw the ribbon, making it possible to press types without coloring. The ribbon is withdrawn away from the front surface of the workpiece, and thus the movement of the workpiece is hindered.
Also in accordance with the present invention, the ribbon frame is turned by hand for the ribbon replacement. Therefore, the power to turn the ribbon frame is not required, making the construction simple.
Further, according to the marking press device of the present invention, for indenting, the ribbon frame is turned to the position at which the ribbon is interposed between the type and the workpiece. Therefore, it is possible to perform the embossing process without coloring and the indenting process with coloring. In addition, the process can easily be selected and simply switched only by turning the ribbon frame.
Still further, according to the marking press device of the present invention, the flange attaching lever is turned to eliminate ribbon slack. Thus, the present invention provides a simple configuration with necessary controls.
As understood from the above description, the ribbon frame is capable of turning between the stand-by position and the position for coloring; therefore, the coloring can be performed on the indented character or embossed character at the same time as making a mark if necessary.
Moreover, the ribbon frame is turned by a driving means such as a solenoid. Therefore, the ribbon frame is easily switched between the positions, thus providing convenience in operation. Since the inked ribbon can be withdrawn to the position, where it does not make contact with the workpiece, when the coloring is unnecessary, the workpiece such as a card cannot be hindered from being transported.
Moreover, in the marking press device of the present invention, when the ribbon frame is turned, the ribbon guiding route can be interposed between the back surface of the workpiece and the type. Therefore, while a mark is pressed onto the workpiece back surface, the back indent with coloring the groove of the mark can be performed.
Still further, according to the marking press device of the present invention, the workpiece can be positioned inside the ribbon guiding route for the back indent. In this case, the inked ribbon never hinders the movement of the workpiece, and therefore, the workpiece can move in a wide range and marking and coloring are given to a large area of the surface of the workpiece.
Additionally, according to the marking press device of the present invention, the ribbon frame is turned by the solenoid. Thus, the configuration can be made simple, and at the same time, the position of the ribbon frame when turned can easily be determined.
For indenting, the ribbon arm is moved following the movement of the ribbon frame to lower the ribbon guiding route. Therefore, the ribbon can be located at a predetermined position between the workpiece and the type for indenting, and withdrawn to a position away from the workpiece for stand-by. Also, since the ribbon arms are swung by using the driving mechanism of cam, the configuration can be simple with reduced number of components and with high reliability. Further, the swing of the ribbon arms are controlled to appropriately change the height of the ribbon guiding route, making it possible to properly select the front indent or the back indent.
Also, in accordance with the present invention, the ribbon arm fulcrums are located at the positions with which the length of the ribbon route varies only slightly as the ribbon arms oscillate up and down. Therefore, when the ribbon arms oscillates up and down, little slack will be generated in the ribbon; even the minimum slack is eliminated by the spring of the ribbon supplying spool. Also, because of the ribbon tension, less torque is exerted on the ribbon arms. Thus, the energy required for moving the ribbon arms can be greatly reduced.
Further, in accordance with the present invention, a stopper is provided for controlling the position of the ribbon frame. Therefore, the turning range of the ribbon frame from the stand-by position to the indent position is controlled and the ribbon frame stops at a predetermined position. For this reason, an accurate position of the ribbon can be determined, and therefore, poor coloring which is normally caused by ribbon displacement is unlikely to occur.
When the ribbon frame is turned by hand, the control member of the stopper is not actuated. Thus, the ribbon frame can be turned over a wide range.
As understood from the above description, the marking press device of the present invention has paid attention to the possibility of forming Braille dot patterns by combining six dots that are positioned in a predetermined pattern, and all kinds of Braille code characters can be produced with the six kinds of cells, each of which respectively has a dot in an assigned position thereon. Therefore, the marking press device for producing Braille code characters can be simply configured.
Furthermore, six recesses are formed on a recessed-dot cell, which makes a pair with a the raised-dot cell, to correspond to the six dots for embossing Braille dot patterns so that the already formed raised dot is protected when pressing and embossing are performed for forming successive dots for a character. In addition, the recesses serve as a guide for dots. Therefore, the workpiece can be precisely positioned, a Braille dot pattern can be perfectly formed as if it were formed by one time strike.
Braiile character type sets are provided in the type assembling member that is normally used for embossing normal characters. Therefore, Braille dot patterns as well as normal characters, symbols, etc. can be produced.
Further, all kinds of Braille dot patterns can be formed on a plastic card as a workpiece.
Finally, in accordance with the present invention, raised-dot cells used for embossing frequently used Braille dot patterns and a recessed-dot cell having six recesses are made in a plurality of pairs and retained in the device in addition to the six primary pairs. Therefore, a one-time operation can save multiple-time operations which a raised-dot cell having only a single raised dot needs to perform to produce a complete Braille dot pattern for a character.